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The conviction throughout the country has been steadily growing, since the exposure of von P121 Papen’s methods, that Boy-Ed wasnot an innocent associate of the military attaché. The Federal authorities, in fact, have unearthed a large amount of evidence to show active participation by Boy-Ed in these enterprises, for to him they simply were a part of the war of Germany on her enemies. Colonel Rooxevelt, who has made a special study of Germany’s crimes on neutral territories, has expressed the sentiment of Americans in a speech at the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, on January 30, 1916, in these words : ”The German and Austrian governments through their accredited representatives in the embassies here have carried on a coampaign of bomb and torch against our industries. The action our governetn should have taken in view of this campaing was not action agaist Dumba, von Papen and Roy-Ed but the holding of the German and Austrian governments themselves responsible for every munition plant that was blown up or damaged.” ( pp 121-2 ) * * *One of the causes for the summary dismissal of both Bory-Ed and his confrère, von Papen, from America, was their schemes to involve this nation in a conflict with Mexico, to bring about American intervention in that country and thus provide a different use than against Germany for America’s supply of explosives and rifles. ( p 123 )* * *In his quick fashin, he often boasted, and there is foundation for part of what he said, that he had been sent to America by the General Staff, backed by &50,000,000 to &100,000,000 ; that he was an agent plenipotentiary and extraordinary, Ready to take any measure on land and sea to stop the making of munitions, and to halt their transportationat the fatory or at the seaboard.He mapped out a compaing, remarkable for detail, scope, recklessness and utter disregard of American laws. These plots porved von Rintelen, or the German General Staff, a master of thoroughness and ingenuity, for he took into consideration the psychology, the customs, habits, and reported weaknesses of Americans. His schemes in brief were (1) the purchase of war materials for Germany as a means of booting prices ; (2) the fomenting of war between the United States and Mexico as a means of compelling the American Government to seize all oavailable war munitions ; (3) a campaign of publicity and the arousing of public sentiment to bring about an embargo an arms shipments; (4) strikes in American industries; and (5) a series of acts of violence agaist facotires and munition-carrying vessels. ( pp. 137-8 ) * * *Von Rintelen boasted that he bought provisions, amounting to &2,000,000 a week, for shipment to Germany through Denmark. More than &25,000,000 was consumed by von Rintelen in his blockde—running, many of the boats being seized by British warships.Von Tinelen also took a flier at the most elusive and puzzling diversions of war-brokers, namely the purchase of the 350,000 Krag-Jorgensen rifles which the United States Government had condemned just prior to the outbreak of the war. Around those rifles was centered more intrigue and deceitful scheming than was incited by almost any other single article connected with the war. Even after the Government had announced emphatically that they were not for sale, and President Wilson had told one banker : “You will get those rifles only over my dead body,” every belligerent tried to get them. ( p. 141 ) * * *He seized . . . upon President Wilson’s opposition to General Huerta, and he planned to start a revolution in Mexico with the aim of returning Huerta to power and thus placing the United States in a position where it would be compelled to go into Mexico and restore order. The United States would not be in a position then to dictate terms for the settlement of the Lusitania controversy, would seize the war supplies going to the Allies, and, incidentally, would be hampered for the remainder of the European war.( . . ) German agents had beensent to Barcelona, Spain, to confer with General Victoriano Huerta, former dictator of Mexico, and dazzle him with the prospect of returning to power. Von Rintelen appreciated keenly the fact that Huerta in Mexico virtually meant a declaration of war by the United States, and, therefore, he wanted to put him there. Having coaxed the old warrior to the United States, the agile-witted nobleman got Boy-Ed and von Papen to map out Huerta’s plans. The two attachés, with von Rintelen standing, invisible, far in the background an plling the strings, had many secret conferences in New York hotels, overheard by Federal agents. The developed the plans for Huerta’s dash into Mexico, and the uprising of Mexicans to support him. Von Rintelen, Boy-Ed and von Papen made trips along the Mexican border, arranged for the mobilization of Mexicans, for the storing of supplies and ammunition and for furnishing funds. (Etc.)v ( pp 144-5 ) * * *While the Huertista faction was amply financed, it was only one of seven groups, five of whichw ere in Mexico, to which von Rintelen passed out money. (Etc.) ( p. 146 )* * *Von Rintelen’s first step . . . was to use the horrors of the European War as an appeal for universal peace, and to enlist the laboring men and the farmers of America in raising their united voice against the exports of arms and ammunitions. And thus a great labor peace propaganda was originated (etc.). ( p148 ) * * *Two of von Rintelen’sagents following Samuel Gompers, president of the national Federation of Labor, to Atlantic city one day, offered him &500,000 for his services in indorsing the peace propagand and participating in the work. Mr. Gompers scorned the offer. (Etc.)Bu June, 1915, von Rinelen’s schemes were moving apace. A big advertising campaing had been started in the early spring. . . . It is charged the the Services of Frank Buchanan, Representative in Cngress and former labor leader, and of H. Robert Fowler, ex-congressman, were obtained. Whether they were aware of Von Rinelen and his motives is a question . . . they have been indicted in connection with the alleged activities of the Labor’s National Peace Council. Within a short tiem,thousands of invitations were scattering throughout the country to labor leaders, small and large, and to heads of farmer’s granges,to attend the national convention of the peace propaganda at the expense of the organization. All railroad fares, hotel expenses and a liberal allowance for spending money were promised. Under the fostering financial auspices of von Rintelen, who hovered conveniently near the New Willard Hotel, the members of a peace movement gathered in Washington, expenses paid. They adopted resolutions . . . (etc) The resolutions demanded the enactment of laws that would enable the Government to take over as exclusive government business the manufacture of all arms, instruments and munitions of war ; demanded an immediate embargo upon shipments of war supplies to the belligerengts ; denounced the maintenance of military and naval forces, and called for a special session of Congress to promot “peace universal”. Etc. ( pp 150 )
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Page created 10 March 2005
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W. Paul Tabaka
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